The Territorial Command of Setúbal of the National Republican Guard (GNR) confiscated 921 kilograms of Japanese clams and issued 19 warnings on September 11, during an inspection operation in Alcochete.
The action, conducted by the Montijo Territorial Detachment, aimed to enforce legislation related to the collection, transportation, and commercialization of live bivalve mollusks, as detailed in a communiqué released by the security force on Sunday.
“Guards detected and seized 921 kilograms of Japanese clams due to the absence of the mandatory Live Bivalve Mollusks Registration Document. This omission prevented the verification of the product’s origin and compliance with applicable legal standards, particularly concerning traceability, posing a potential public health risk. After sanitary inspection, the bivalves will be destroyed,” the statement continued.
The GNR identified 12 men aged between 22 and 53, and seven women aged between 27 and 39.
Additionally, 10 warnings were issued for illegal stays exceeding 30 days, four for not reporting a change of residence, four for lacking a European Citizen Certificate, and one for failing to declare entry into national territory.
Authorities identified a 30-year-old man and issued a warning for transporting bivalves without the required documentation, necessary to ascertain potential public health threats.
“The situations were verified using available information systems with support from the Borders and Foreigners Coordination Unit (UCFE), and ten new notifications for voluntary departure from the national territory were issued,” it noted.
The operation was reinforced by the Almada Territorial Detachment, the Setúbal Intervention Detachment (DI), the Lisbon Territorial Immigration Control Unit (NFTI), and the Coastal and Border Control Unit (UCCF).
The GNR emphasized that “the capture, storage, and transport of bivalves without purification or sanitary control may pose a significant public health risk due to potential toxins,” and that “the registration document is crucial for preventing the irregular consumption of these products, thus ensuring consumer safety.”
